9 January 2023. Happy New Year everyone!
Since February last year, Work Better Innovations have hosted a free, weekly employment support session for migrants in the Portsmouth community. In collaboration with the City of Portsmouth College (COPC) and Workers’ Educational Association (WEA), we successfully ran three series in 2022. Together, we took three cohorts of close to 30 participants through the job seeking process.
We are very happy to say that about 33 percent of our participants (9) last year have found fixed employment. We want to increase this employment number! We want to get more migrants into the job market, especially at a time of labour shortage and increase in living costs.
We have fine-tuned our employment support programme. Initially, we focused on CV writing, cover letter and interview skills. We now have expanded this programme to include other important soft-skill topics, like confidence building, time management and positive mindset. These are key in any job search.
[Previous workshop participants taking notes and sharing their ideas with WEA trainer Bahar Mouland in a session focused on self-presentation.]
Often skilled migrants can become demotivated when their earlier qualifications are not recognised or accepted in the UK. Their mental health can become strained with prolonged rejections. The transfer of professional qualifications, additional training and job search take time. The process needs dedication, hard work and resiliency.
Feedbacks from former participants shows how essential local training/re-training employment schemes can be to give migrants a chance to a new start.
“It is very useful program for me. After this workshop I learn more information about job system of UK.”
Our cohorts support each other. They are all in a similar position of hoping for a professional integration into the economic life of Portsmouth.
Thanks to the continued support of our partners, COPC and WEA, we offer the following sessions in January and February 2023:
- Build your confidence & self-esteem
- How to manage time effectively to achieve goals
- Job searching strategies
- Positive mindset
- CV writing
- Effective body language for interviews
- Cover letter
- How to present yourself at job fairs
- Interview skills
Pre-booking is essential. Classes are kept very small (around 10 participants), so we can offer individualised attention. We will run this programme two more times this year – please get in touch if you are interested to take part or to help.
Find out more here. You can contact us at hello@workbetterinnovations.com.
